


Just Like The Weather (Feelings Are)

by AlmostSilent



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dumb boys being dumb, Fluff, Happy Ending, Jehan/Eponine/Grantaire BroT3, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-18 12:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1428595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmostSilent/pseuds/AlmostSilent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grantaire, Eponine and Jehan are all tired of unrequited love, so they decide to do something about it. Honestly, no one's really expecting quite how it turns out, least of all Grantaire.</p><p>(Or, the one where Grantaire doesn't ask Enjolras out on a date, but things still work out.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Like The Weather (Feelings Are)

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from 'Lonely Hearts Club' by Marina and the Diamonds, because I couldn't resist.  
> This is unbeta'd and minimally edited, so if you spot any mistakes I missed let me know.  
> Also, this is pretty much pointless fluff, but I am unrepentant.
> 
> (ETA: because of that whole ebooks-tree thing (information can be found [here](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Ebooks_Tree).) this is the official disclaimer that while I don't own the characters, I do own the work and I don't give permission for it to be posted anywhere else without my explicit permission.)

It had started mostly as a joke really, a stupid comment Eponine had made while the three of them were drunk and feeling sorry for themselves. Grantaire can’t even remember what exactly it was she said, but knowing Ep she probably phrased it as a challenge. Which is, essentially, what it became. 

Grantaire, Eponine and Jehan had been commiserating together for months at this point, after wallowing alone for a while they eventually started gathering together at least once a week so the three of them could vent their unrequited love-lorn heartbreak to people who understood their pain. It was a little different for each of them, sure, but the fundamentals were the same.

Jehan despaired of every meaningless hook-up Courfeyrac bragged about shamelessly. It wasn’t through any cruelty or thoughtlessness on Courf’s part, because it wasn’t like he _knew_ but it still cut Jehan just the same.

For Eponine it was being in the dreaded ‘friendzone’ (and she was well aware what a shitty and unfair concept the ‘friendzone’ was, it still hurt being considered the love of your life’s best friend though). And every time Marius would tell Eponine what a great friend she was, or otherwise compliment her amazing friend-skills she would sulk and whine and feel like a generally shitty person while doing it.

It was completely different for Grantaire, who still couldn’t get anything but disdain from the object of his affections. Even when he’d cut down on the drinking with the help and support of Ep and Jehan, Enjolras still didn’t seem interested in him as a human being. Of course Grantaire still debated his points, but he was sober now, much more in control of what he was saying so he never let it get personal. But while Grantaire argued with facts and statistics, it seemed to make Enjolras even more furious and he’d lash out with personal attacks. 

They all wanted desperately not to be in love anymore, wanted to be able to move on and get over their respective lost-causes, but none of them seemed to be able to manage it. It should’ve been easy in theory for very simple reasons: Jehan was only interested in a serious, committed relationship and Courfeyrac didn’t seem to want that; Eponine really did value Marius as a friend and didn’t want to ruin their friendship by pushing for more; and obviously Grantaire knew that Enjolras hated him most of the time. But none of that stopped the love they felt every time Courfeyrac laughed brilliantly or smiled easily, every time Marius blushed or teased, every time Enjolras spoke with conviction or showed such care for his friends. 

So when Eponine made a drunken comment, an agreement was made, a pact of sorts: they’d all try at least once to actually get their unrequited loves to agree to go out on a date with them and if it didn’t work they’d give up and move on. It was terrifying and stupid and possibly impossible, but they all agreed because they were lonely and in pain and tired of feeling like shit. 

Of course when they all arrived at the next meeting they might not have followed through with it if it wasn’t for their collective inability to back down from a challenge. So of course they made it into even more of one, with Jehan stating that any of them that didn’t at least ask the object of their affections by the end of the week would have to face a no doubt sinister and horrible punishment from the other two. It was enough apparently, because at the end of the meeting Eponine took Marius aside over at the bar and while neither Jehan nor Grantaire could make out what was being said, they did see Marius blush multiple times until by the end it seemed he had gone permanently red.

Then Eponine came striding back over with her drink in hand and an unreadable expression on her face. Grantaire could feel himself holding his breath and he could feel how tense Jehan was beside him. They both had extreme empathy for Eponine and could barely fathom how brave she’d been.

“He said yes,” she finally said when she sat down, sounding uncharacteristically shy, a small pleased smile curving her mouth.

Before Eponine could stop them, both Jehan and R were pulling her into a group hug, giving her praise and generally sharing their happiness and amazement. It was possible they were being a bit loud because everyone else was looking at them when they pulled apart, including an embarrassed looking Marius, but Ep was still smiling. 

Both Jehan and Grantaire knew it would take more than that for either of them to get the kind of courage Eponine had. Grantaire knew that while he had zero chance with Enjolras he might have to come about it slightly differently than just asking him out, so he was set on thinking about a plan for a little while longer.

It seemed that Jehan had a similar idea about not facing it head on, but he apparently decided to put his plan into action the very next day while they were all gathered together at Enjolras and Combeferre’s apartment to hang out and watch films while at least some of them studied (and some pretended for form’s sake). This plan was, apparently, to make Courfeyrac jealous by basically being all over Grantaire.

Now R didn’t want to deter Jehan because at least he was doing something, but he had very little faith that this plan would work. For starters, Courf didn’t really seem like the type to get jealous, secondly it also worked on the assumption that Courf was actually interested and cared enough to get jealous. Which honestly, Grantaire still wasn’t sure about. Sure he’d suspected that Marius wouldn’t say no if Ep ever actually did ask him out, but Courfeyrac was harder to get a read on, especially given his frequent sexual exploits.

Nevertheless, he let Jehan cuddle up close to him and rest his head on one of R’s shoulders and kiss him on the cheek and even let Jehan recite poetry to him and give him far too many compliments he surely couldn’t mean. In fact, he was so supportive and loving and an amazing friend that he let this go on for three days, before Courf came up to him at the Cafe to talk to him.

“I couldn’t help but notice how close you and Jehan have been lately,” his attempt at casual might have worked on nearly anyone else, but Grantaire could see through it, “are you guys like, dating now or what?”

Grantaire paused for a long second, taking a deep sip of his black coffee before he answered as honestly and earnestly as he could.

“Courf, you’re a really good friend and I have a lot of respect for you, so I’m not gonna bullshit you about this,” he made sure he was looking directly at Courfeyrac when he spoke the next part, “You really, really need to have a conversation with Jehan about this. Today. Right now, even.”

He was of course, unsurprised when he got a text from Jehan nearly three hours later with lots of smiley face emoticons and exclamation marks. He smiled happily for his friend, but he could feel the bile churning in his gut all the same.

He wanted just to be happy for his closest friends, and he was, really he was, but he couldn’t help that he was also jealous and feeling sorry for himself, because he knew when this week was over and he was being forced to get over Enjolras, he wouldn’t have his two best friends to complain to about it. Because there was something inherently uncomfortable about talking like that with people who were happily in relationships, it made him feel guilty for trying to drag them down, made any advice or consolation they could offer seem false and condescending. So while he was extremely happy that his best friends were finally happy and in love and getting everything they wanted and deserved, he also felt a little bitter about it too.

Which is possibly why he decided it was a good idea to track Enjolras down when he was alone in his apartment to finally have that talk with him two days later. 

“Grantaire,” Enjolras greeted with surprise when he opened the door. His surprise wasn’t unwarranted, because Grantaire had never sought him out alone before, never mind shown up at his apartment uninvited. Plus Grantaire wasn’t sure what he looked like right now but his best guess would probably be somewhere between ‘deranged’ and ‘miserable’. 

“Hey,” he started, sounding uncharacteristically hesitant, “Can I come in for a sec? There’s something I really need to talk to you about.”

“Sure,” Enjolras still sounded confused, but at least he was letting him through the door, that was a good start.

Once they were seated in the living room Grantaire didn’t really know where to start, he knew what he wanted to say, but he didn’t want it to come out wrong. Honestly, the last thing he needed right now was some miscommunication to make things worse.

“Okay, I’m gonna talk and I need you not to say anything until I’m done okay?” he began, looking at Enjolras for a sign of understanding, “I know that’s not really in your nature, I guess we have that in common most of the time, but this is important and once I start I just need to get through or I might never be able to get it all out.”

“Ok-ay,” Enjolras said slowly with a slight nod of his head, still sounding confused but at least willing to humour Grantaire.

“So I don’t know if you’ve noticed but this week Ep and Marius went on a date and Jehan and Courf got together. Well, that’s because we all made kind of a pact, like a deal with each other, Jehan, Ep and I did I mean. Which...no, that’s not where I wanted to start. Shit.”

Grantaire took a deep breath and ran both his hands through his messy black curls before speaking again. He was looking mostly at some point over Enjolras’ shoulder, but he didn’t think he could say any of this to the man’s face, let alone see whatever look that might be there.

“When we first met nearly three years ago now,” he began with emotion a little thick in his voice, “I was a messed up eighteen year old with a drinking problem and a bad attitude and only two people in the world I cared about: Ep and Gav. I didn’t give a shit about the world and I didn’t care about myself. And then I saw this guy standing on top of a fucking wooden crate yelling about the unjustified forced retirement of one of the faculty,” he pauses here, a stupid fond smile taking over his face, “Before I even saw his face I could hear the words he was shouting _‘Friends we will not stand for this injustice, we will not rest until these tyrannical dictators listen to us. Our voices will be heard and justice will prevail!’_ I might be paraphrasing, but it was something like that I think.”

Grantaire chanced a glance at Enjolras’ face, a frozen look of complete shock, almost comical and perhaps R might have laughed in any other situation, but it wasn’t feeling very funny just then. He quickly looked away again, choosing to look out the large window at the blue sky outside.

“And of course then I saw him and he was the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen, and for the first time in like two years my fingers were actually itching for a pencil or a brush or anything so that I could immortalise that moment,” he turns his head to the side a little, considering it, “I did, for the record. Still have it, even. But that’s not the point,” he shakes his head, “The point is, that like three weeks later a letter of apology was sent to Professor Lamarque and he was offered his job back. And I came to my first ABC meeting.”

He can still remember it, or most of it at least. He’d gone back to his dorm room and gotten blindingly drunk afterwards, so a few of the details are a little fuzzy.

“I wanted that guy to make me believe in something again, and I guess at the same time I was also terrified of the possibility that he could. I was drunk and scared and stupid and he was righteous and naive and cruel, but he was still beautiful and passionate and capable of amazing kindness and of course it took me like, less than two months to realise I was stupid in love with him and the idiot had managed to make me believe in something. So naturally I got even more scared and stupid and drunk and honestly I’m not sure why I was determined to be the worst version of myself. Maybe because it was the best kind of pain to have all of his attention on me even if it was just to tell me to shut up and stop wasting his time, maybe it was because I didn’t want to create any false expectations, whatever reason it was a stupid one.”

Grantaire couldn’t bring himself to move his gaze, knowing he’d already given too much away, knowing it was already too late to take it back. His only option was to keep talking, he couldn’t stop now. 

“Over time I changed of course, because that’s how life works, the things we go through change us, just like all the things that made me a bitter, cynical drunk did. Only now I had friends, people and things to care about, I had people depending on me and encouraging me and caring about me. So I made more of an effort with stuff, and obviously in the last year I’ve cut down on the drinking and ya know, making good life decisions. The exception to that being that I couldn’t stop myself from loving that passionate idealist, even as he got crueler and more harsh; even when it hurt the most. Which brings us to the deal, the pact between me and Jehan and Eponine. Because we were all getting tired of unrequited love being such a big part of our lives, so we agreed that we’d have a conversation, try to get a date or whatever and then if it didn’t work out we’d move on, get over it. Obviously it worked out really well for them.”

Now Grantaire slides his gaze over to Enjolras, the blonde was looking pale and a little shaky and it made R feel a little sick. It was even worse than he thought it might be, it was gutting and painful and he closed his eyes.

“So I’m here to let you know that I need space,” he opens his eyes but looks out the window again, trying to will the stupid, pathetic tears not to fall. He hoped Enjolras couldn’t hear the shake in his voice, he felt exposed enough already, “I’m not abandoning the group, I’m just gonna need some time. If you guys really need me for anything you can get one of the others to talk to me about it. But, I mean you understand right? I need the distance if this is gonna have even a chance of working.”

That was it, all his cards on the table and he felt like he’d been talking for years. He didn’t feel any better for his confession though, he just felt empty and sick and stupid. He tipped his head back to blink away the tears, feeling pathetic for wanting to cry. When he looked back at Enjolras, it looked like the other man had been hit repeatedly. He looked shocked and dazed and other emotions that Grantaire couldn’t parse. Which was probably for the best, all things considered.

There was an uncomfortable silence, Grantaire really didn’t know what to say now and Enjolras didn’t seem inclined to speak, didn’t really seem like he could. But still, he wasn’t sure if he could just leave without some sort of response, some sort of recognition that Enjolras understood and acknowledged what was being said, what it meant. Maybe he could get closure or something (he didn’t really believe that, but he’d agreed to try, so there it was).

“You didn’t ask,” is what Enjolras finally said to break the silence. That didn’t mean it made any sense at all.

“What?”

“The pact. You said the deal was to ask me out on a date,” and Enjolras seemed far calmer than he had not even two minutes ago, “You didn’t ask.”

“I didn’t think the words were really necessary,” Grantaire replied, a little awkwardly, “I mean, I think the long rambling confession kind of covers me, in the spirit of the agreement.”

“But you just assumed I’d say no.” It wasn’t a question obviously, but there was still some curiosity there that Grantaire couldn’t fully understand.

“Yes, of course I did,” he sighed, ready for this conversation to just be over already, “You haven’t made a secret of how you feel about me Enjolras, I wasn’t expecting this new level of pathetic to endear me to you or anything.”

“You confuse me.” Enjolras finally says after a short silence, “You frustrate me and you confuse me and I’ll admit that over the past few months or so my feelings have...shifted. I suppose I didn’t give it too much consideration, I just knew that I was reacting differently to you.”

“Yeah, you have been even harsher with me since I stopped drinking so much,” Grantaire acquiesced. It wasn’t something that had made sense to Grantaire particularly, and it certainly didn’t seem fair. Enjolras had always made a point of making his views on R’s drinking known, but once he cut back it just seemed to piss him off more.

“I think, partially that’s because when you were arguing with me when you were drunk I could dismiss it more easily.” Enjolras admits, looking actually a little contrite, “I could dismiss _you_ more easily. And that’s wrong, I see that now. But, once you started arguing with more while you were sober, and making these intelligent, well thought out points… Well I guess I couldn’t dismiss you anymore, not really. I still tried though. Which again, was totally wrong of me. And being scared of my feelings is not an excuse for the way I’ve treated you,” Enjolras is actually getting worked up now, using the tone of voice he usually reserves for the causes he’s passionate about. “I know it’s probably asking too much for you to forgive me, to give me the chance to make it up to you, but I’d really like that chance.”

The look on his face now could only be described as pleading, but Grantaire is still confused, still not sure exactly what’s going on.

“I’d pretty much forgive you anything, that’s kind of part of the problem,” he frowns a little. “I am kind of wondering why it matters though?”

“Because I’m saying yes to the date you didn’t ask me on,” Enjolras says decisively in that way he has. Grantaire has known him long enough to know when his apparent surety is covering up uncertainty. It’s an odd thing to focus on in that moment, but he’s kind of unable to think of anything of substance right then.

“You’re what?” Is what comes out of his mouth, entirely unbidden, “I mean...what? Why would you-? It’s just...you hate me!”

“I just told you that I don’t.” Enjolras points out, looking a little impatient and exasperated, which is much more normal and helps give R back some of his equilibrium.

“Okay. This is not how I thought this was going to go,” he admits, sounding embarrassingly breathless, “I’m a little thrown.”

“I can tell,” and holy fuck, Enjolras is smiling. It’s all fond and amused and directed at _Grantaire_. What is this day? “How about I pick you up on Friday and we can have dinner, like normal people who know how to handle romantic relationships?”

“Yeah. Yes. I mean, that sounds good. I can do that. Possibly.” And he’s laughing a little and everything is crazy and then Enjolras’ lips are on his. And nothing else matters at all.

As far as first kisses go, it’s pretty standard at first. It starts off a little awkward because Grantaire wasn’t expecting it and they knock noses and their teeth clack, but then it isn’t awkward anymore, it’s just...kind of perfect. Enjolras’ lips are warm and soft and amazing and honestly he doesn’t ever want to stop kissing him. 

Of course they eventually have to pull apart, and it wasn’t even a deep kiss, it was close-mouthed and rather chaste but they’re both grinning and breathing a little heavily and Grantaire doesn’t think he’s ever been this happy.

**Author's Note:**

> As always let me know what you think, even if you think it sucks.  
> This was just a little one-shot that I needed to get out of my system, so I hope you enjoyed. :D


End file.
